Last one in the door is always the favourite... I got this from a website in England and am pretty happy with it. Its mid 1790s copper plate printed cotton. I would have preferred it trained, but alas, can't have everything. I have the perfect morning bonnet for it as well, but couldn't get at that trunk at the moment... I will repost a better pic when I find the morning bonnet... <img src=http://home.cogeco.ca/~knorman1/179004.jpg>
Oh so, so old and the fabric looks brand new! Do you have a closeup of the print Jonathan? The blue ribbon sash - that isn't original (is it?) :O What a wonderful acquisition for your museum! Congratulations on your new 'baby'! sue
Just looking at this again and wondering, who wore this? What was she like? This is a morning gown? Would this a young lady from the middle class have worn this? (I'm sorely lacking in knowledge of fashion from this era) Sue
WOW! Jonathan, that is absolutly amazing, it looks so wearable, so new, so perfect. Please tell, how, when and where did you come by it? Did you have to do any restoration? Do you know it's history? *sigh* Damn, thats nice. Kat !~)
WOW! Jonathan, that is absolutly amazing, it looks so wearable, so new, so perfect. Please tell, how, when and where did you come by it? Did you have to do any restoration? Do you know it's history? *sigh* Damn, thats nice. Kat !~)
Here is a close-up of the print SUe: <img src=http://home.cogeco.ca/~knorman1/179001.jpg> Its very pretty, and because its a copper plate print, very precise, with no smudging. The blue satin sash is not original to it, I had it, nor is the embroidered fichu. It could use a nice apron to go with the bonnet, then it would really look like the sort of thing one would expect a matron to wear in the morning after breakfast to do some light sewing, reading, arranging of flowers... you know, Jane Austen stuff... I don't have any history with the dress at all, it looks like a pretty normal day dress to me that any lady of some means (merchant's wife for example) would wear. DOes anybody remember "POldark"? That was a British series from the early 80s, I think, and it mostly took place in Cornwall in the 1790s. This dress came from an English website (but I would have to kill you if I told you which one...), and there is a bit of work I have done on it and a bit more to do. The dress had been diddled with for theatre or fancy dress, with the drop front skirt sewn up and a centre front opening made in the skirt, so I did what I could to make it less diddled, and there is some overall foxing of the white cotton, plus a few small holes here and there, but this is NOT an easy period to find dresses from. I did own another 1790s dress once and foolishly sold it to Parks Canada for their study collection because I needed the money from the resale at the time, but it was a very plain dress.
Look at the clarity in that print! I find this so amazing! This fabric is 214 years old....and it looks so fresh! Very incredible to me, as I have never, ever seen anything this old.....so when I come and visit can I see it? I promise not to water mark it with drool. You did a dandy job of undoing the 'diddling' (that is such a <i>quaint</i> word) - at least by the pics. Very, very impressed. Sue
Oh, Oh I like that very much. The print is delightful. Someday, I think we need a Museum slot of 18th clothing. I thought about us adding the 18th Century to the timeline, but there is so little of it out there, and the timeline is already so extensive, that I think in a separate area that can be archived might be the way to go. I never thought about it - but the last one in is always the current favorite! I will be getting my camera out today taking pictures before someone comes to see the house. Maybe I can get a shot of a recent find. Hollis
That's really so very lovely! I love seeing this older stuff, especially in such wonderful condition for its age. I know so little about the pre-1900 clothing aside from being able to eyeball obvious fashion eras. I learn so much from those of you who are so knowledgeable about these periods. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jonathan that is fantastic. Such a pretty print. Its unbelievable to see something so old that is in such good condition. Thank you for sharing it with us!
The fabric is just fabulous! I love the print. And what others said....Amazing to see something that old, in such wonderful condition!! Thanks for sharing your new baby with us, Jonathan.... Gail
FWIW - I think it SHOULD be added to the timeline! By all means. Since the timeline is by decade it wouldn't be that hard to slot some extra in. My ancestors came from Devonshire and Cornwall, so it is interesting to see something from there (it is from there isn't it?) My Cornwall ancestors were probably not merchants but I can't be sure about the Devon ones (2 were knighted but I don't know if they were MY ancestors, but it is fun to imagine they were ;). How do they print with copper plates? Do they carve them? How come the dress looks Oriental to me? There was a tv show on Discovery or TVO recently about Liberty of London and their silk prints, around the mid 1800s. It was so interesting. They basically made beautiful prints that were affordable to the middle class, and set up showrooms in the style of Ikea. Bedrooms and stuff - curtains, bedspreads etc. Archaeologists had dug up some plates and were trying to recreate the process. It took SOME work for an artist to carve one of the blocks. I then pulled out a Liberty scarf that I bought off Jonathan and showed my hubby an example of the type of patterns they made. He says "I don't think that one is THAT old". Duh. Deb :D
We can add 18th century dress to the timeline, probably in a few time periods (1740 - 1765) (1765 - 1785) (1785 - 1799) To be perfectly honest, I am not sure how the copper plate printing is done. I know has something to do with acid etching, and rollers... otherwise not sure. It was a revulotionary way of printing at the time however, which had been carved wood blocks. All of the French toiles that were so fashionable in the late 18th century are all copper plate printing apparently. Probably the wide sash I put with the dress is making the dress look Japanesey to you Deb, or the floral pattern, which is inspired by Oriental floral prints...
'light sewing, reading, arranging of flowers... you know, Jane Austen stuff...' the story of my day Jonathan - ah so little has changed in England - but I must, for I feel the desire to take a promenade in the fruit orchard
